In an interview with Joey DiGielmo of The Washington Blade, Etheridge said she does not consider Jolie’s decision a courageous move. “I wouldn’t call it the brave choice. I actually think itâ€™s the most fearful choice you can make when confronting anything with cancer,” Etheridge said in the interview, as reported in Yahoo! News.

The “I’m The Only One” singer said that while cancer may be caused by genetics, people have the option to change their lifestyle choices and use other non-invasive medical solutions. She shared that a lot of people might have the BRC2 mutated gene, but in most cases, it never develops into full-blown cancer.

According to Etheridge, preventive mastectomy like what Jolie underwent “is way down the line on the spectrum of what you can do.” She suggested that people diagnosed with the gene mutation should “really consider the advancements weâ€™ve made in things like nutrition and stress levels.”

Etheridge was diagnosed with breast cancer in October 2004. She decided to undergo chemotherapy and use her cancer battle as a source of inspiration for other patients. Because of her treatment, she has appeared bald in a number of public appearances. Aside from chemotherapy, she has publicly declared in the past that she used medical marijuana.

The singer claims that she has been free of cancer cells for nine years, and has been so because of her decision to change her bad habits.